Stormy Weather

Wow, what a big blow last night! Yes I mean the weather! Power is out since 9:45 last night. Bernie thought it was the end of the world! And he wondered . . . did he bring this on by coming to Morris. He did not like to see such storms on his first night in town! LOL  All is well, except for a shortage of bread, ciggies, electricity, and instant coffee. The coffee is just stale, I guess I shouldn't complain! Hardly anything is open, no McDonalds, Burger King, etc., only a couple of gas stations open. No Wal-mart no Jewel! ARGHHHHHHHHH. Hopefully power will be restored soon. Thankfully the temperatures have moderated somewhat. I will update when the power comes on. I guess I'm lucky I have it at the office. Not technically working today, offices are closed, but I needed some electricity and some coffee that was not stale!

Kay

Liberty Days

Our town always seems to have something going on, a festival or a carnival, something. This week it was Liberty Days. I had dad down to the Courthouse lawn on Thursday night, Saturday afternoon, and again tonight. He loved the National Guard Band from Peoria tonight, he was full of the applause and the toe tapping. It was lots of fun and a great concert. The beautiful weather didn't hurt either, a little warm, but very pleasant in the shade with a lovely breeze. Nice that it was a busy concert week, since the river is flooded and has been closed all week. Bernie loves the river. Hoping it opens soon.

Mom told me a funny story. Dad gets ants in his pants just about the same time every day, about 3:00. He just gets sort of restless, of course just as Mom is getting a start on dinner.  Well, the other day she handed him some radishes and a knife and told him he could help her by cleaning the radishes. Dad looked blankly at her, holding radishes in one hand and a knife in the other, like he had never seen either before! LOL  He asked her how to clean them, and Mom demonstrated. Dad cleaned 3 radishes (very very slowly!) and then he says to mom, "I am a little dizzy. I think I better stop doing this and go sit outside." Then boom, like a flash, he is out the door and down the porch steps way faster than any dizzy 94 year old should be moving! LOL  Dizzy my ass! LOL

It has been interesting at work. My boss's son is interning with us, just having finished his first year in law school. Zack is very pleasant, easy to be around, but I can't help but remember when he used to spend time at the office zipping about in his walker! We were having an interesting conversation last week about urine (chain of evidence of a urine specimen in a DUI case, not just random pee talk people!), and I said, "Zack . . . times sure have changed since the good old days when all we did was play hide and seek!" LOL

Glad this is a short week. I've been waking up freakishly early and have trouble getting back to sleep. It's got me dragging ass and a touch gnarly and short of patience.  

It was a busy week for Bernie, what with the concerts and all, and church, plus he had a visit from his cousin Mary Prindiville. He loved it all!

Tomorrow should be interesting. I went around the whole yard and pulled a bunch of tall grass from the base of the fence. I gotta get in shape . . . a different shape!

Have a good 4th of July. I might try to get Bernie out to see the fireworks. I know he'd love it, but I think getting him to leave the house in the dark will be harder than getting him to take a shower! LOL

Kay

Happy Father's Day

We took Dad over to Streator yesterday and John made us something new, Greek lasagna, with ground lamb. We all liked it. Homemade bread, salad, yum. Pecan pie bars (the best breakfast in the world this a.m.!) and a scratch cake topped with white chocolate mousse. I may have to take a moment . . . Dad liked the ride, tons of tractors for him to see. He had church last night as well, and I think he was tired out. He asked even more than usual if he had to milk the cows, did he have to work in the a.m., does he just go straight into bed, he doesn't have to take a shower, does he? It must be really hard and tiring to have Alzheimer's/Dementia! Poor Dad. Nights are the worst, he is much better in the day.

Freakishly windy here today. Cats are jumpy. Bernie is afraid it is going to storm.

The river has been flooded so Dad hasn't had any boats to watch. Well it is open today, and packed! We pulled into our our favorite shady spot to watch the action and gosh, did Bernie crack me up! There is a kayak rental place at the river, and a couple was taking a break, their kayaks were nearby, they were lying on the grass on their backs sunbathing, knees bent, just chilling. I was afraid Bernie might make a off-color comment (nice looking girl in a swimsuit you know) lol, and he looked at this couple and turned to me and, with this impish grin, said, "I wish I had a bucket of ice water. I'd go throw it on them and run!" lmao. Oh it was priceless. LOL

Garden looks pretty good. Things are coming along. Looking forward to a short week this week. John and I are going putzing on Friday, heading up to Madison and check out the Farmer's Market. We've only been there in the fall for apples, so why not a summer trip? It's always fun.

Have a good week folks.

Kay

Decoration Day

I lost my burning bush, the red bud is in jeopardy, but my wee lilac bush is glorious!

Finn has started a new stretching regime.

Upward Facing Cat.

Dad has been going around the block. Pretty good for a 94 year old! I found one of those walkers at the thrift store that has a seat, and he sits down at every corner, but just for a brief time, less than a minute. It's so handy to have a seat in case he gets tired. He thinks he is going off by himself and is really surprised when one of us comes up behind him! LOL  He just wants to see someone he knows. Of course once he is in Morris longer he'll know more people. He has just been here a day you know!

Soon the concerts will be starting downtown on Thursday nights. We'll have a break from the same old same old ride, by the old farm and down to the river. Not that I don't like a ride, but the same route does get old. When you don't have dementia/Alzheimers, I mean.

We took a ride this week, down through Seneca and to Marseilles to the greenhouse we like, the one by Uncle Eddie and Aunt Dorothy's house. I'll always think of that house that way even though they are gone now.  Fun memories of visiting there through the years. Have all my garden stuff in and hoping the rain forecasted for the next few days materializes. Dad did not want to stop and the Seneca Cemetery, which surprised us all. We'll take another ride and take care of decorations another day.

Kay

Mother's Day Weekend

Drove the fam to Streator yesterday, John made brunch. Mom's fave, biscuits and gravy again. How in the world does a woman who likes to put pats of butter on her hefty plate of biscuits and gravy NOT weigh 300 pounds? I must ponder this. And I forgot my camera! I took a few with John's but no pics of people. Oh well.

Hera is the welcoming committee at John's. She rolls over on her back, and bares her tummy for rubbing. Good thing she is a cat, because if she were a person, I think she'd be a floozy! Poor Isis hid again. I got a good pet in with her in the basement though, so at least I got to see her for a bit.

I made a lemon cake, you poke it when it is warm and pour a lemony glaze over it. Yum.

Dad enjoyed the trip. He was a little reluctant at first, but I told him John would be disappointed if he didn't show up. Then he decided he could go to Coal City after all! LOL  And then he told me how he and John used to shuck corn together; so did Eddie and Jim (his other bros). So son John is brother Pat still.  I didn't spill the news that we were actually going to Streator til we buzzed past good old Route 113, when Dad kindly informed me I had missed the road to Coal City! LOL

 If he said it once, he said it 25 times  . . .

"Man! Look at that field! You can't see the end of it!"
"Streator is too far! I'm not coming here again!"
"No names on the mailboxes, damnit!"

And at John's  . . .

"Did you paint all this yourself!?"
"Did you lay this carpet?"

On the way to Streator we saw, Mazon, Kinsman and Ransom, so I decided on the way home that it would be fitting to go through Verona. I have no aversion to gravel roads (fond beer drinking memories of my youth . . . and adulthood!), and as we were tooling along I heard Dad say in a low voice to mom, "I think there is a hard road you can take from Streator to Mazon." LOL He also said, "John is good to us. I should have left him a tip!" LOL  He commented that he had a $5 in his pocket, but it was too late now to give it to Pat. Hmmmm. I have noticed that Bernie often comments about giving me a $5 to fill up my gas tank :), or comments about how he  "should have left a tip", but the money seldom leaves his pocket! Dad always was proud of always having money in the bank, even in hard times . . .  now I can see why! lol

John sent me this pic. After we left the little stinker came out!

I really cut back on my annuals, but you have to have some. Look at my Lantana, isn't it pretty? And of course a red geranium for Dad, his fave.

And my buddy Finnegan helped me too! Stinker! I guess I better pick up some plants and fill up this planter, and hopefully he'll stay out of it! Boy he can fling that dirt!

Making mom her favorite Honey Lemon Tilapia today. Gotta get marinating.

Have a good week peeps.

Kay

Lazy Sunday

Made some stuffed green pepper soup (thanks Jan, for recipe), using meatballs instead of ground beef, and topped it with grated parm and a dollop of sour cream. It was delish and is now in 'THE ROTATION". That's a homemade roll there too, made with no-knead bread dough. Easy and cheap and delish. I love my rummage sale pink bowl. I wish I could find a whole set of those dishes. Super cheap. Like $1.

Finn is still asleep, waiting for Spring. Thankfully, he has stopped molesting my Crazy 8s Lichen chair.

First weekend in May is "Camping Weekend". Shelbyville didn't work out this year, but Mar decided I was punchworthy and invited me to her club. I spent Friday night out there and got a good taste of campfire, yummy food, and good laughs and company. And wind! lol Then a spectacular camping breakfast. One night is plenty for me, and I didn't have to drive 4 hours (one way!) to get it! Woo hoo!

My onions and taters and some flower seeds are coming up. Perennials look good. Lost my burning bush and new Red Bud, darn it! Haven't planted much else yet. John threw some stuff in, but I can't remember what any of it is. It is coming up though. Catnip is going to town. Finn and and Midge are liking that. I'll dry some for them soon, and for my other feline friends.

We are invited to John's house next weekend for Mother's Day Brunch. Yum. He is already cleaning. I'm going to bring dessert, a lemon cake. Can't wait to try it. If it is blogworthy I'll share. Folks like going over there (though Bernie complains that Streator is "too far") to see the kitties and the garden and of course, John

I need new tires and brakes. Last time that happened is when I bought my secret new car! LOL  Not this time people. I'm actually buying brakes and tires. If I was going to get a new car I would have gotten it last weekend when I had to spend THIRTY DOLLARS! ($30!!!) for new wiper blades. For cry eye.

OK. One LAST time, John and I have made a wager with Healthy Wage. (healthywage.com). We have wagered $600 that we will lost 50 pounds in the next year. Yes, Big bucks. The the payoff is big too! $2000 for me, $1600 for John. Good incentive. We have to weigh in once a week until then, if you forget it is a strike, and 3 strikes and you are OUT! If anybody wants a referral,just holler. Come join us for the big fat fun. You can also do the 10% challenge instead of the wager. It is definitely less expensive, and still with a good return on your money. You pay $150 to them, and if you lose 10% of your body weight within 6 months, you double your money. Nice return.

I went on a road trip with my friend and saw some graffiti in the city. Does anyone know what it means . . . "Smore Dont Tater"? 

Went to get my Vitamin D rechecked and, I'll be damned, it went down instead of up! Grrrr. I thought I started feeling better, more pep for a while, then boom, not so much. So now instead of 2000 units a day, now I'm taking 50,000 a week. Yikes! 

Thats all folks. Have a most pleasant week.

Kathleen

Mayday! Mayday! Spring is Missing!

Happy May Day!

Finn, Midge, Hera and Isis